HCC- SE Office of Entrepreneurship Initiatives- June 2018 Newsletter

CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP- SOUTHEAST

Our goal is to build and sustain the Houston business community and student body, through effective educational & programmatic initiatives, and to help businesses grow in revenue, personnel, and business opportunities.

Meet our Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Silver Fox Advisor, Ned Mueller, who talks about a series of Lunch and Learn events that bring quality business leaders a platform where they can share experiences with the business community.

For more details, check his HCC interview with Todd Duplantis at the "The Topic" below:

June 6, 2018

SOUTHEAST- NEW EVENTS

June 9, 2018

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Check-in: 8:00 am

Starting and Running

Your Own Business

Topics Covered:

• Personal Factors & Management

• Business Opportunities

• Marketing

• Organization/Regulation/Insurance

• Requirement & Sources Of Fund

• Cash Management & Record-Keeping

Youth Pitch Competition

This seminar will plant the seed to build young entrepreneurs and assist parents to nurture their growth. Parents will come to learn how to facilitate their child's dreams. Kids will work with professors to develop their entrepreneurship skills. By doing so we are building between family and business. Feedback will be provided by potential investors.

June 16, 2018

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Small Business Forum 2

Choose 2 Topics to attend from the following sessions:

Developing a Dream Team
Knowing When Its Time to Grow
Success Over Survival
Effective Customer Communication

June 28, 2018

3:00 am - 7:00 pm

SECCIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

En HCC Southeast, estamos orgullosos de proveerle mas servicios y programas en español, para nuestra comunidad hispana. Déjenos saber sus ideas, y sugerencias para empezar o crecer su negocio. Estamos a su disposición. Nuestro personal también habla español! Pregunta por nuestra Directora, Brenda Rios.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Apply Now

The application for the Liftoff Houston Start-Up Business Plan Competition is now open!

Houstonians are encouraged to vie for more than $30,000 in cash and prizes during the 6 ^th annual Liftoff Houston Start-Up Business Plan Competition, sponsored by Capital One Bank, in partnership with the City of Houston's Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) and the Houston Public Library (HPL).

Location:

2000 W. Sam Houston Pkwy S.

Houston, Texas 77042

CCTC Conference Room

Suite# 150

June 7, 2016

9:00 am - 10:30 pm

Coffee and Learn

HCC Resources for Entrepreneurs:

Learn how the Houston Community College (HCC) “Cultivates an Entrepreneurial Culture Across the Institution” by providing entrepreneurs with resources and relevant educational initiatives.

How to make the most of the CTCC Member Online System Tool:

The Colombia Texas Chamber of Commerce prides to provide its members with the resources and tools to maximize the success and business opportunities.

YOU ARE INVITED

HCC Felix Fraga Academic Capus

301 N. Drennan Street, Building B

Houston, Texas 77003

June 13, 2016

10:00 am

NEW STEM BUILDING

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Please join HCC in celebrating the opening of the new STEM building. The Felix Fraga Academic Campus will receive a new facility of roughly 37,600 square feet on the existing campus. The project includes labs, classrooms, and administration spaces.

June 20, 2018

11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Subs and Sandwiches

with Austin - Gilbane JV

This month we will have the opportunity to meet with Gadberry. We'll gather for introductions and then break out into one-on-one meetings.

Location:

2303 Fannin Street, Suite 200, Houston, TX 77002

APPLICATION DEADLINE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2018

Spring Session due to start January 16, 2018 at the Alief Hayes Campus

Apply today for the program at Houston Community College and gain valuable, actionable skills, the opportunity to access capital, powerful networking opportunities and more. It works with your busy schedule and it’s available at no cost to you.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to step away from the day-to-day operations of your business and focus on growth. To learn more about the curriculum and application process, visit our website at www.hccs.edu/10ksb or call (713) 718-8348 for more information.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Pink Petro is a global community of energy leaders and disruptors committed to busting the diversity gap and creating a new, inclusive future for energy. Women bring a unique perspective to the world and Pink Petro allows for a platform to harness it.

Pink Petro believes in diversity, not just in gender, but in generations, ethnicities, and cultures. It connects the community with high quality resources and learning, and create an energy workforce that is engaged, empowered, and inspired for this generation and beyond. They aspire to put a human face on an industry that has quietly powered some of the most amazing technologies and innovations of our time.

Pink Petro unites, connects, develop and grow women, and for that we are quite excited to highlight them for our Business Spotlight this month. For more details, please visit: https://www.pinkpetro.com

Would you like your business to be showcased in our monthly newsletter? Email your story to [email protected].

LOOKING BACK

LEGAL ISSUES:

What Businesses need to know when starting or expanding a business

May 18, 2018

We thank Mr. Mohammad (Mo) Tehrani for joining us and presenting this workshop. This was developed for entrepreneurs starting a new business or planning to grow their business, and discussed the three primary considerations for registering your business:

(a) Choosing a legal business structure,

(b) Understanding government rules and regulations, and,

This workshop also examined:

The advantages and disadvantages of operating as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or LLC.
Legal and tax requirements.
Application of federal, state and local business regulations.
Trademark and copyright protection.
Insurance.

HCC WELD-A-THON

May 19, 2018

The Center for Entrepreneurship- Southeast, in collaboration with the Material Science Center of Excellence hosted the 1 ^st Annual “Weld-A-Thon” Competition for high school students on May 19th. The event was called “Where Sparks Fly” and was an opportunity for students to showcase their welding skills, as well as plan for a strategy to fabricate a product, while working together in teams of four.

Stafford High School, Barbara Jordan High School, and Milby High School participated in the competition, and we congratulate all of the participants, HCC staff, and high school teachers for their support!

Our first place winners were from Stafford High School, second and third place winners were from Barbara Jordan High School, and the fourth place winners were from Milby High School.

Dr. Tam Le, Dean for the Material Science Center of Excellence was present to introduce all of the participants and judges. Brenda Rios, Director of Entrepreneurial Initiatives was also there to speak to the students about how they can leverage their talents in welding to start a business or become an independent contractor. The students had a great experience and HCC had an opportunity to let students know about the many career paths they have in welding.

HOW BUSINESSES OBTAIN CREDIT

May 23, 2018

Candice Moody, BBVA VP Business Banking Officer presented the "How To Obtain Credit" workshop for entrepreneurs, students, and individuals interested in learning how your credit is assessed by a lender, and how do you build and maintain a good credit.

A common evaluation framework if the Five C's of credit:

Capacity
Capital
Collateral
Character
Conditions

A business credit score is primarily used for more mature businesses, but it doesn't hurt to review the following questions to establish and track your business credit:

Do I have a business credit card?
Do I use my business credit card to make purchases for my business?
Do I have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number?
Do I have a Tax ID number?
Do I pay my creditors early or on time?
Are the following records up to date?

o State filings

o Business licenses

o Credit report profiles

§ Dun & Bradstreet

§ Equifax

§ Experian

Do I have established trade lines with vendors?

If not, list at least three vendors with whom you must start a trade line.

Remember, these vendors can be any vendors that supply services or distribute goods to your business, including office supply vendors and equipment distributors.

Also, did you know?

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are nonprofit funding organizations that range from banks and credit unions to some venture capital providers. CDFIs work primarily at the community level to provide business mentorship, financing, and technical assistance to borrowers who may not qualify for traditional financing.

Go to https://www.cdfifund.gov to learn more. See if you qualify for additional loan programs.

You can also find a CDFI that provides loans in your area through the federal CDFI Fund at

https://www.cdfifund.go v or through Opportunity Finance Network, the national CDFI

association, at http://ofn.org/ .

Stay tuned for more workshop series with the BBVA Compass team!

STUDENT CORNER

HCC Corrosion Technology Forum Day

"Corrosion: Sleepless Worldwide Impacts"

Exchange technical information and stay current with the latest trends in corrosion prevention and control. Our exhibitors provide attendees with corrosion ideas, technical processes, and white papers presented for the appropriate tools for fighting corrosion.

Join Industry experts, faculty and students.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Alexis Terrell is a dynamic and energetic student who graduated recently with the Class of 2018 in Business. She also participated in HCC’s pilot program called the “Aspiring CEO Institute”, where she was voted CEO of the virtual company called Juice IT. Alexis is a single mom of a two year old son, Landyn. She has skillfully managed to handle all of these activities while working a full-time job. We at HCC, SE Center for Entrepreneurship would like to salute Alexis for all of her hard work and help prepare her for her dream of becoming a real CEO!

Interview below:

HCC: How did you manage to care for your son Landyn, work full-time and attend HCC as a full-time student?

Alexis : It had its ups and downs from the start, but I persevered. During my first semester, I took most of my classes during the morning and my family watched Landyn for me. I would work in the evenings and weekends and take Saturday classes. However, during my final semester, it became more difficult because I started working in the daytime and attending classes in the evening, but my family continued to help me with Landyn and I pushed through. I also managed to spend as much quality time with my son as possible whenever I could get a free moment.

HCC: Why did you choose Houston Community College?

Alexis: Why not HCC? HCC has provided me with an experience I will never forget. My professors went above and beyond to make sure we received much more than what was in a textbook. I was allowed to attend conferences, networking events, and was introduced to programs that helped me to be successful. My professors encouraged me to go after my dreams! I also loved how close my campus was to my home and the tuition is very affordable. I was also offered a scholarship and I truly believe that HCC is a community builder and an opportunity for a fresh start to my career goals.

HCC: What made you major in Business?

Alexis: The “funny” thing is that I never planned on choosing business as a major. I initially believed I could just handle things on my own but was worried that I may run into problems down the road. So…one day I was trying to decide which direction I wanted take regarding my career so I started to pray for guidance. So I got my answer and decided to choose business. My choice was based on wanting to help change people’s lives, build communities, and enrich the lives of other women around me. I want to be an example and provide women with a better outlook on life and let them know that they are not alone.

HCC: Did you have any business or entrepreneurial experience before attending HCC?

Alexis: At a very young age when I was just 20 years old, I had the opportunity to move up to management level very quickly at a company called Gymboree. I initially applied to be an assistant manager but there were no job openings. The company offered me an opportunity to apply for a key holder position until an assistant manager position would become available. I accepted the position and was asked just three weeks later if I would trained three new key holders, then the entire staff and the store manager. The company was impressed and I was transferred to the Galleria area store to become an assistant manager in one of our top selling stores. After four months, I was promoted again to store manager. My store was used as the official “training” store for the district. This led me to be placed on a project management team that assisted in opening up several new stores in the Houston area. I was the youngest store manager in my region. Gymboree has taught me valuable leadership skills, training techniques, and the importance of promoting others to next level. My store was ultimately featured in the company newsletter several times while winning countless company contests. The opportunity that I had with Gymboree has shown me that I have an entrepreneurial spirit and can excel in business.

Alexis Terrell is on her way to a successful career in business and entrepreneurship. Houston Community College looks forward to following her journey and helping her continue to succeed. Alexis is currently working with the Southeast, Center for Entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneur in Residence she prepares for the future.